To be stagnant is to die. Life is an ever-changing phenomenon steadily marching to the drums of time. Evolving is the only way forward. This belief is passionately held by Hyeji Nam, a performance artist, instrumentalist, vocalist, and composer. Despite her many talents, she chooses humility, preferring to describe herself simply as,
human being.
ARTISTIC BEGINNINGS
Hailing from Korea, Hyeji was exposed to the arts as a creative outlet from a young age. One of her earliest and fondest memories is participating in the school choir at a festival, an event that brought together schools and children from various backgrounds. She recalls the vividness of these pivotal experiences with fascination. Reflecting on this period of her life, Hyeji shares:
I learned classical music through my mother’s influence and was always in the choir at school. I loved the sounds and atmosphere one can create with the body. These moments really stuck with me. Singing matched so well with my imagination back then, connecting with nature, wanting to be like the wind. Looking back, I loved the fact that people can come together with something that we don’t normally use for communication –singing– as a tool to be in the same space.
Hyeji’s creative interests, rooted in her early years, took a new direction towards painting with oil and canvas as she entered university. Painting became a medium to connect with herself and express her inner world to others. However, she often felt like a spectator at her own exhibitions, detached as crowds gathered to view her creations. This sense of exteriority led her to seek a more self-activated form of expression. She began experimenting with video and sonic installations, which eventually guided her toward embracing the world of music. Hyeji explains her transition:
I love how sound can be so captivating and creates a space where we can belong. There’s often a feeling that I want to make sound for a performance, that sound is the source my body uses. And still, the main question for me is how sound and the body can interact with each other, or what they can achieve together.
The pandemic marked a significant shift for Hyeji, as it was then that she began to seriously engage with music and instrumentation, mediums she had not fully explored before. The isolation of this period prompted her to critically reassess the essence of creation and performance. Turning to electronic music, she used her laptop as her primary instrument, finding it a natural starting point. The internet and social media became her lifelines, enabling her to connect with others during the lockdown. These digital highways allowed her to traverse new realms of interaction at any moment. It was during this time that Hyeji fully integrated both digital and analog music into her creative process, establishing it as the focal point of her expression. This phase of experimentation and adaptation not only redefined her artistic methods but also paved the way for a reinvigorated exploration of inspiration, setting the stage for the diverse influences that we will delve into in the following section.
INSPIRATION, THY NAME IS…
Drawing inspiration is an ongoing process, akin to a never-ending battle. Focusing too little might cause you to miss the spark of an idea, the whispers of what could have been. Yet, focusing too intently can bury ideas under the weight of expectation, preventing them from ever meeting their potential. Often, we find our inspiration when we least expect it, usually in the things we take for granted.
When thinking about where she finds her inspiration, Hyeji points to a myriad of things: from watching movies with her father, listening to classical music with her mother, observing friends who were brave enough to dance, feeling the wind, discovering a new melody or loop, and observing colors; these elements have all woven their way into her works. The seeds of inspiration, according to Hyeji, have shifted throughout her career. In her earlier works, she often grappled with overplanning and control. Now, as she has matured, the physical space where she performs, the chosen medium, and the timeframe serve as a framework that nurtures inspiration, allowing spontaneity and improvisation to take the lead and flourish. Hyeji herself reflects on this natural inclination towards spontaneity in her own surroundings:
I mean when I look at my room, I think it’s very impulsive, very spontaneous, and I feel like there are no rules at all in the way that I organize things. So maybe I am very spontaneous and impulsive and maybe, how do you say, it’s Time that has helped me in accepting it.
Hyeji’s journey towards self-acceptance has distinctly shaped her recent works, evident to anyone who witnesses her perform. Her sets have grown more grandiose, her aesthetics more robust, and her ideas more reflective of an individual harnessing inner strength. As she continues to draw from the myriad influences around her—including colleagues, teachers, and other creatives—these interactions further sculpt her polished yet evolving narrative. This process not only showcases her dynamic growth but also underscores the profound impact of her influences on her creative expression. Hyeji’s explorations signify a poignant intersection between human expression and technological evolution, setting the stage for a deeper inquiry into how these forces coalesce in her artistry.
CREATIVITY IN THE AGE OF AI
We are currently navigating what some have termed The Fourth Age, an era defined by the technological revolution of Artificial Intelligence and its integration into daily life. This period is marked by rapid advancements in machine learning models, hardware capabilities, and a burgeoning curiosity from the general public, leading to AI-driven innovations like ChatGPT capturing global attention. This surge has ushered in a philosophical crossroads: the decision to either embrace the potential of AI or to reject it. For Hyeji, the choice is clear.
Fear, while a potent motivator, can also be a paralyzing force. The hesitance to recognize AI’s role in creative fields as legitimate creation often stems from a misunderstanding or a lack of knowledge about the technology itself. As history repeatedly teaches us, fear is a common reaction to the unknown. This fear often stems from perceiving AI as an equal or competitor to human creativity, rather than as a distinct tool that enhances it.
I understand people that don’t want to use AI, or say it is not true creativity. But I think these people see themselves and AI as equal or of the same thing. I see AI as a tool. It can be like us, do similar things, but it is not us. We are making up the scenarios for its use. Of course if you see AI as the same entity as an artist, then one starts to fear or devalue it, seeing it as a mere system that copies. Maybe it is true, and maybe that is what a lot of people are focused on right now, however one should see it from a detached position; we are not the same.
Embracing AI has become a pivotal element in Hyeji’s artistic journey, particularly evident in how she incorporates such technology into her performances to push the boundaries of her creative domain. Her process is marked by a continuous exploration of innovative sounds and techniques within her musical and instrumental setup. We are particularly delighted that our Neutone Morpho plugin has found its way into her experimental endeavors and has been integral to the final compositions of some of her projects.
What was interesting to find out in my exploring was a specific sound (electronic violin with reverb, or electronic piano) would produce nice sounds of course, but even better, was to discover a sound that is not easy to explain or describe as an outcome. It is fascinating how these new sounds are changing the dynamic of my body and the movements I make as a result.
Hyeji’s journey with AI not only showcases her innovative spirit but also serves as a prelude to a broader conversation about the historical trajectory of technology and AI in the arts. For her, it’s clear that understanding our historical interactions with technology can illuminate the path for artists to break new ground, fully exploit the potential of current tools, and continue the legacy of creative innovation.
LOOKING BACK TO LOOK FORWARD
Our current position on AI, particularly its polarizing reception in creative fields, mirrors the digital revolution that overshadowed analog technologies in the 1980s. As software progressed, creatives unearthed novel ways to utilize these advancements. Analog equipment gradually seemed to fade into obsolescence, only to be revisited when the distinct advantages and limitations of both digital and analog mediums were understood. With a dash of human creativity and experimentation, such as the inventive technique of record scratching by DJs, a symbiotic relationship between the analog and digital realms emerged, unveiling new avenues for creative expression.
That is what I personally love in this whole ‘AI world’ right now; people are trying to make their way into the arts with it. I think that is quite important, to just see that a positive, creative scenario is possible, not just the ones that are going to ruin or control humanity.
I think AI can enhance musical creativity by giving new ways of composing. Artists should keep on trying to find new methods to create, to integrate or react and I think AI can and is already providing new ways to do that.
This cyclical journey of discovery and adaptation is expected to continue between creatives and AI, as Hyeji suggests. Creatives have a responsibility to traverse all conceivable avenues, utilizing every tool at their disposal to serve their artistic vision. You can find Hyeji at the vanguard of this exploration, consistently challenging the status quo and evolving with the relentless march of time.
